Because of What!
by Britt30
Summary: One shot! One cold night, Jack meets the Doctor, who gives him some great advice and helps him figure out why he's the way he is. They both start to wonder, is the Man in the Moon really who he says he is?


**Hello everybody. :) Quick one shot for you all that I thought would be interesting. Enjoy and review!**

Jack stepped onto a thin pine branch and sent it dipping under his weight. His hood was up and his staff laid carelessly across his shoulders. The moon was full and it's light set the frosted forest on fire.

"You know," Jack said to the moon, "this would be so much easier if you told me what I was doing wrong." Jack paced along the branch and looked up at the sky. "Why won't you answer?" he asked angrily. "You chose me! It's the least you could do to give me some help!" Of course, the moon didn't answer, but a voice below him did.

"You alright up there?" Jack looked down and saw a tall matchstick thin man looking up at him. He was wearing a pinstripe brown suit and trench coat.

"How'd you get up there anyway?" the man wondered out loud. He put on a pair of block glasses and squinted up at Jack.

"You can see me?" Jack called down, his eyes widening in surprise. He jumped off the branch, floated to the ground, and landed softly on the carpet of pine needles. The other man was speechless.

"That's impossible! No, that's brilliant!" He whipped off his glasses and stuck out his hand, a huge smile on his face. "I'm the Doctor!" Jack shook his hand

"Jack Frost."

"No!" the Doctor cried incredulously. Jack took off his hood off. His blazing white hair shone in the moonlight.

"Yes, the real deal!"

"Oh, this is brilliant! But, what did you mean by I could see you?" Jack chuckled softly.

"That's a long story."

"Well, I've got time. And a place we can talk. Allons-y!" The Doctor stuck his hands in his trench coat pockets and marched back through the trees. Jack followed, curiosity leading him on. They didn't go very far before they came upon an old, blue police box.

"Here we are!" the Doctor said, patting the box.

"Uh, are you sure we'll fit?" Jack asked.

"Oh yeah. In fact you might say..." He opened the doors with a flourish and stepped into the box. "It's bigger on the inside."

Jack's jaw dropped open. 287 years and he'd never seen anything like this before. The Doctor waited politely for him to stop gawking before getting back on topic.

"So, you were going to tell me something?" Jack stopped walking around, frost covering the floor wherever he stepped, and turned back towards the Doctor.

"This is amazing!" The winter spirit hopped onto one of the pillars and settled himself in it's crook. "The first thing I remember was darkness..."

Jack continued with his story. He got to the part where someone had first seen him. He had made friends, real friends, with kids his age. There was the lost princess, the first who noticed him. Then the dragon trainer and his bold red head cousin. He had even had a crush on one of the princesses (though he didn't say which).

"But now they're gone. They aged and died and I'm still here, I'm still alive. How? Why?!" Jack's voice was filled with desperation. He just didn't know what to do. The Doctor listened and then spoke quietly.

"I understand." Jack looked up and almost laughed.

"How, there's no way you can be older than me."

"I'm 900 years old. I'm a time traveler. I've made friends and enemies and found love all throughout the universe." He sighed. "They leave. Because they should or because they find someone else. And some of them, some of them... forget me. I suppose in the end they break my heart. I'm left alone, just like you

"But I'll tell you what I've learned. Enjoy the good things and don't let the bad things get you down. Remember the friends you've made, don't let them die in vain, and look forward to the ones to come. Be grateful for the time you have because it will never seem like enough." The Doctor sighed, his breath filled with longing. But there was also a small smile playing on his lips as if he had just gotten rid of a heavy burden. He jumped up suddenly, startling Jack.

"Now as for your staff, may I?" He asked, gesturing to his staff. Jack handed it to him. The Doctor examined it carefully and then took out his sonic screwdriver to scan it.

"What're you doing?" Jack asked, leaning over to see what he was doing.

"Trying to figure out how this works." He handed the staff back and then scanned both at the same time. The Doctor studied the results intently.

"That's fascinating."

"What?"

"Your staff is a sonic instrument. It's attuned specifically to produce frost, ice, wind, or snow. It's also attuned to your molecular structure and emotions, making your powers weaker or stronger.

Now the rest of your story is also really interesting. Who did you say did this to you again?"

With complete honesty Jack said, "The Man in the Moon." The Doctor nodded.

"Right. Well when you fell unconscious in the water it seems he changed your molecular structure, just slightly, to change your hair and eye color. He also slowed down your aging process, about one year for every hundred." The Doctor barely paused for breath, much less to give Jack time to take this all in, before he continued.

"Now as for why people can't see you." He looked at the base of Jack's neck. "You have a small perception filter planted under your skin. It's programmed so only young or creative minds can see you." Now he stepped back and let the boy absorb all this information. Finally, Jack spoke.

"You're saying... the reason I'm like this, is because of _science? _Because some guy wanted to, mess with me for some reason?" He was pacing around angrily now, snowflakes sporadically shooting out of his staff.

"Now there's the thing," the Doctor said, striding over to the console. "I think we should go pay this 'Man in the Moon' a visit." He pulled a handle that sent the TARDIS rocking. Jack laughed from surprise and grabbed onto the railing.

"Let's go get your memories, Jack."  
**Tada! Thoughts? Comments? Reviews? All are appreciated! Hope you guys enjoyed it!**


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